Research Data: Finding, Managing, Sharing

It is common scholarly practice to publish the results of research, and it is becoming increasingly more important to share the underlying data. Data sharing allows for the replicability and verification of experimental findings and allows for reuse in new and unexpected ways. Sharing your data may also increase the impact of your research.

There are many discipline-specific repositories where researchers can choose to deposit their data. Discipline-specific repositories often better accommodate specific disciplinary needs, but not all disciplines have a repository which is why the U-M Library created Deep Blue Data. 

The University of Queensland Library offers factors to consider as you evaluate a data repository.  Also consider the metadata standards, whether or not there is peer review, clear statements of your rights as depositor, and whether or not links to the research papers and publications are available.

When sharing data, it is important to consider:

• Disclosure, the unauthorized release of information that may identify an individual research participant or organization.
• Legally protected data, which have restrictions placed on them by law.
• Sensitive data, which include any information that may cause harm, legal jeopardy, or reputational damage to the subject if disclosed.

Although most data are not copyrightable in the U.S., intellectual property licenses may help ensure proper attribution and protect your data in countries where copyright applies. 

Giving appropriate attribution to research data improves data discoverability, signals the usefulness of data, provides citable contributions to the scholarly record, and supports long-term reusability.